Joel Michel

2019 Pegasus Scholar Report

If I had to choose one word to describe my experience as a Pegasus scholar, it would be “inspirational.” For six weeks I was surrounded by some of the most gifted legal minds and advocates in the world, including Evans Amoah-Nyamekye—a solicitor advocate who represents the prince of the Ashanti Kingdom and affiliates with Prince Charles—and Ben Emmerson QC who has been described as one of the 10 best barristers in the country. I returned to Philadelphia with new perspective and a great deal of excitement about my career as a litigator.

Legal London

Thanks to the hard work and planning of Cindy Dennis and her colleagues, my time in London started with a week filled with unique events and activities including engaging in meaningful conversation with the Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Flaux (Lord Justice of Appeals), the Rt. Hon. Baroness Hale of Richmond DBE (President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom), and the Rt. Hon. Lady Black of Derwent DBE (Justice of the Supreme Court). These judges were very generous with their time. Over coffee or tea, we would talk about our careers and discuss various aspects of the law in our respective jurisdictions.  Everyone made us feel as if they were honored by our presence, when the opposite was true.

We also met with inspirational leaders from the community, such as the Trustee of the National Pro Bono Centre, the Master of the Temple Church, the treasurers from the four Inns of Court (Lincoln’s, Inner Temple, Middle Temple, and Gray’s Inn), and the Chair of the Bar Council. One of my favorite events was attending the opening of the legal year service at Westminster Abbey. The service dates back to the Middle Ages when judges prayed for guidance at the start of the legal term. It was such a surreal experience standing in the church where some of the most significant people in Britain’s history are buried or commemorated, and where several of the royal weddings have taken place.

Week two marked the commencement of my rotations across three different barristers’ chambers: Monckton Chambers, Ely Place Chambers, and 25 Bedford Row. My first two weeks in chambers were spent chasing various barristers across Fleet Street as they headed to the Royal Courts of Justice, where I learned about many of the distinctions between the British and American legal systems. While our common law system was derived from England, the two legal systems contain marked differences.

One of the most notable distinctions is that the English legal system places greater prominence on oral advocacy in litigation. Unlike our system in the United States, most applications (the equivalent of a motion) are decided after the court has heard oral argument. In addition, oral argument lasts much longer in the UK. Typically, oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court last about one hour. I observed an oral argument in the Supreme Court of the UK that lasted several days. The nature of oral argument also differs between the two systems. During oral argument, barristers comb through the law surgically and educate the court on how the law supports their clients’ position. On the other hand, attorneys in the U.S. submit all of their arguments in writing in their briefs. Oral argument is typically held as a formality or is reserved for cases in which the court would like to hear the parties’ position on particular issues. 

Another distinction is that the English legal profession has two classes of representatives: solicitors and barristers. Generally, solicitors handle legal matters outside of court such as providing clients with legal advice, conducting negotiations, and drafting documents. Barristers are the masters of oral advocacy—they represent their clients in court. While it is common for litigators in the U.S. to have never tried a case or argued a motion, this is less likely for barristers. Barristers are also self-employed, which means that two barristers who share an office together can work on opposite sides of the same case. This system works because barristers are careful to fulfill their ethical obligations to their client, the court, and their fellow members of the bar.

I had the opportunity to observe a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales—commonly referred to as the Old Bailey.  It is one of the most famous criminal courthouses in the world as many of England’s notorious criminal cases have been tried there. During the trial, I was shocked when I learned that the defendant was going to take the stand. I later learned that in England, it is common for a criminal defendant to testify in his or her defense. Although a defendant has the right to remain silent, the prosecution may comment on the defendant’s silence and ask the jury to infer the defendant’s guilt. In other words, if a defendant chooses to exercise his right to remain silent, he could be “punished” for doing so.

During my last week in chambers, I had the privilege of working with a barrister at 25 Bedford Row on a drug trafficking trial. This was one of the highlights of my time as a Pegasus Scholar. The collaboration that I had with the barrister was insightful. The barrister welcomed my perspective and advice on the case while teaching me every step of the way about effectively managing client expectations and the art of persuasion in the courtroom.

Culture

My first thought after stepping outside of the airport in London was, “there is so much more to the world than the United States.” As a Pegasus Scholar, I was fortunate to experience a variety of cultures and perspectives. This was truly one of the greatest benefits of the scholarship. Each day on my train ride from my flat to chambers, I heard about five different languages. London is truly a melting pot where you can experience a diversity of culture, music, and food. During my time there, I ate authentic Indian, Jamaican, French, Korean, and Chinese cuisine. There was also plenty of opportunities to enjoy the arts by going to the orchestra or seeing a ballet or play. I highly recommend “Fiddler on the Roof.”

In London, there are people from every party of the world. What is more, they actually interact with each other. While the UK certainly has its issues with respect to diversity (especially amongst barristers), there seems to be more civility amongst, and appreciation of, people of different ethnic and racial backgrounds—at least in London.

I was fortunate to experience England during a historical time. In fact, I was in the House of Commons when Prime Minister Boris Johnson struck a deal with the European Union (“EU”) regarding Britain’s exit from the EU (commonly referred to as “Brexit”). The following day, the streets were flooded with protesters demanding that Parliament vote against the deal.

As I walked down the streets of London, it often felt as if I was experiencing time travel and reliving history. There seemed to be a story behind each street name and building. For example, as I sat through a service in Temple Church, I was reminded that the church once belonged to the Knights Templar, a religious and military order for the protection of pilgrims to the Holy Land.

One evening we were invited to attend dinner at Middle Temple Inn. I felt like I was in a “Harry Potter” movie. The barristers and pupils were robed, and the dining hall was lit by candles. Everyone stood and remained silent as the procession of “benchers” entered the hall. I was careful to fix my attention on those who were familiar with dining in the hall because there were many customs that I had to quickly learn. When it came time for the tasting of the reserved port, I received death stares because I failed to pass the wine down the table.

In addition to London, we had the opportunity to visit Belfast in Northern Ireland and Edinburgh, Scotland. Each of those places provided new experiences and perspectives. In Edinburgh, we visited the Faculty of Advocates, which is a body of independent lawyers who have been admitted to practice before the Court of Scotland. All advocates work out of their library, which we toured. The Clerk of the Faculty invited us to his office and we discussed the differences in the process of becoming an attorney in the U.S. and a barrister in Scotland.

Being a Pegasus Scholar is a life-changing experience that lends itself to professional and personal growth. For a young lawyer, curious about the world and the law, I can think of few experiences that can be as meaningful or memorable.

Thank You

I would like to thank all the individuals who helped make this experience worthwhile and delightful: Cindy Dennis and the American Inns of Court who put this program together; to all the members of the judiciary who invited us into their courtrooms and chambers, it was an honor to meet such extraordinary people; to each of the barristers that allowed me to hold their coattail as they exemplified what it means to be a barrister; to the members of the Temple Inn of Court in Philadelphia who supported me in my application to be a Pegasus Scholar; a special thanks to Anthony Haller who first demonstrated to me to the skills of a barrister and introduced me to the American Inns of Court.
 
This experience would not have been as enjoyable as it was without my co-scholar, John Burke. There wasn’t a day that John did not make me laugh. Every time I walked into our flat, I was asked “what’s the score” in an Irish-infused Boston accent. John and I would then share with each other what we experienced and learned that day. My conversations with John were insightful as he was able to offer different perspectives gleaned from his unique set of experiences. I look forward to seeing all of the amazing things he will accomplish in his career.

I would like to thank my wife, Gabrielle, who I married the day before I got on a plane to go to London. Yes, you read that correctly. She was very understanding and patient during our time apart from each other. Finally, I would like to thank God for blessing me with such an amazing opportunity to experience a different part of the world that He created. I am forever grateful to have had this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Joel Michel, Esquire, is an associate at Blank Rome LLP in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Inspired by the “oral advocacy” of the Baptist preachers of his youth, Michel earned an undergraduate degree in religion from Haverford College and then headed to Temple University’s Beasley School of Law intent on becoming a trial attorney. Noting that the ability to try cases is becoming a lost art thanks to the predominance of settlements and plea bargains, Michel honed his skills by joining Beasley’s national mock trial team. Michel first joined Blank Rome as an associate in 2016, then served as a law clerk to Judge Petrese B. Tucker of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania before rejoining Blank Rome in 2018. Earlier, Michel served as a certified legal intern at the Defender Association of Philadelphia, advocating on behalf of indigent criminal defendants. An active member of the Temple American Inn of Court and a member of its executive committee since 2018.